Cost of Living Comparison Between Villa María and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Villa María and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Villa María vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,581 per month in Villa María vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,212 per month in Villa María vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Villa María is about 6% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Villa María and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Villa María 29% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.56 ARS 15.2K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

76.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.05 ARS 49.0K

$32.86 COP 117.2K

3.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 ARS 12.7K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

24.96%

Cappuccino

$2.67 ARS 3,839

$1.71 COP 6,105

56.14%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ARS 2,482

$1.10 COP 3,918

57.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ARS 2,247

$0.78 COP 2,776

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ARS 3,097

$1.68 COP 5,987

27.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ARS 4,188

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-5.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 ARS 1,871

$1.09 COP 3,899

19.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ARS 2,263

$1.26 COP 4,500

24.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 ARS 2,793

$1.38 COP 4,914

40.58%

Eggs

$2.16 ARS 3,103

$2.19 COP 7,813

-1.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 ARS 14.4K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

127.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ARS 8,990

$5.63 COP 20.1K

11.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.52 ARS 13.7K

$8.89 COP 31.7K

7.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ARS 2,804

$2.34 COP 8,334

-16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ARS 3,057

$1.06 COP 3,771

100.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ARS 1,821

$1.50 COP 5,365

-15.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 ARS 3,601

$1.38 COP 4,915

81.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ARS 1,703

$1.15 COP 4,104

2.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,707

$1.16 COP 4,148

2.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 ARS 1,841

$0.89 COP 3,176

43.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ARS 2,142

$0.84 COP 2,992

77.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ARS 4,486

$2.28 COP 8,131

36.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.98 ARS 7,167

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-53.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ARS 2,872

$1.20 COP 4,276

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ARS 4,438

$2.47 COP 8,809

25.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ARS 1,109

$0.86 COP 3,051

-10.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ARS 2,132

$1.47 COP 5,255

0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 ARS 1,333

$1.96 COP 6,997

-52.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 ARS 8,502

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-23.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ARS 1,513

$0.95 COP 3,403

10.53%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.9K ARS 40.1M

$18.1K COP 64.6M

53.85%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.0K ARS 43.1M

$26.5K COP 94.4M

13.15%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$66.6 ARS 95.8K

$82.3 COP 293.2K

-19.08%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$17.04 ARS 24.5K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

79.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.97 ARS 33.0K

$24.23 COP 86.4K

-5.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.58 ARS 38.2K

$25.89 COP 92.3K

2.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.82 ARS 19.9K

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-27.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 ARS 8,711

$3.93 COP 14.0K

54.20%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$222 ARS 319.3K

$309 COP 1.1M

-28.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,676 ARS 3.8M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-55.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.4 ARS 104.1K

$58.7 COP 209.1K

23.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.5 ARS 100.0K

$32.35 COP 115.3K

114.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ARS 165.2K

$103 COP 365.7K

11.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ARS 161.4K

$108 COP 386.5K

3.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 ARS 488.2K

$476 COP 1.7M

-28.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 ARS 335.8K

$379 COP 1.4M

-38.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 ARS 974.2K

$838 COP 3.0M

-19.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 ARS 765.0K

$724 COP 2.6M

-26.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,063 ARS 3.0M

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-26.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$754 ARS 1.1M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-37.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$485 ARS 697.9K

$512 COP 1.8M

-5.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

13.43

335.59%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Villa María: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $339 in Villa María versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 5% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Villa María versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $188 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Villa María vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,425 per month in Villa María and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Villa María, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Villa María and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Villa María, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Villa María it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Villa María – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Villa María. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.